What’s So Bad About Size Large?

Look, let’s be honest, are you more likely to buy something if it’s a size smaller?

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Because walking into Ann Taylor makes me suddenly drop two entire sizes and that is the coolest! And for a second I always think, “yeah, the pilates has paid off.” But then I go into any other store and realize I’m the exact same size I always am. I mean, any other store that isn’t The Gap, where I’m really skinny again. Or a designer store, where I suddenly gain a size. Basically, vanity sizing is everywhere, which according to The New York Times means “one [company] is offering full-body scans at shopping malls, telling a shopper what sizes she should try among the various brands.”It’s called My Best Fit, and the full body scan apparently takes only 20 seconds.

Which is good, because Don Thomas, who manages the Eddie Bauer store at the King of Prussia Mall says “Nine times out of 10, if left on their own, [customers] will choose the wrong size pant.” Really, Don Thomas of the King of Prussia Mall Eddie Bauer? Really? 9 times out of 10? Wait. Does Eddie Bauer do one of those things where they list the pants with sizes like “happy?” Probably. That really seems like something rustic old Eddie Bauer would do.

But! The scanning system does seem to work, and that’s interesting. Still, are we really so insecure that vanity sizing has to exist to this extent in the first place? Sure, there’s always going to be some difference between brands – but going from a size 8 in Marc Jacobs to a 000 in Chicos seems crazy. One or two size difference between brands seems understandable. Ten doesn’t. I’d probably be willing to trade the little jolt of artificial happiness I feel at Ann Taylor for the ability to correctly pick out a pant size 50% of the time.